


Love is Love

by LadyEkaterina



Series: All Love Is Love [1]
Category: God's Own Country
Genre: Family, Family Feels, Gay, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 18:16:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18643468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyEkaterina/pseuds/LadyEkaterina
Summary: When Johnny has gone up to Scotland to find Gheorghe, Deirdre is left feeling uncomfortable about their relationship. Help comes in the guise of a young vicar.





	Love is Love

Deirdre went to help Martin down the stairs and into his chair  
“You let “im go then”  
“Aye”  
“You know where he’s going?”  
“Aye”  
“ To get that lad”  
“Aye”  
“But Martin” she practically yelped . “Do you know what they were doing here in Johnny’s room?“  
Martin glared at his mother and took a deep breath “Not sure.... what.... getting at...mam?”  
Deirdre sighed. She’d been helping out at the church fete some weeks ago and had overheard 3 of the other volunteers including that Violet talking about “that Saxby queer” and “a different lad in the toilet every week I heard” That was bad enough. But this would be under her roof. She wouldn't be able to pretend they were talking about someone else / something else.  
She became aware that Martin was speaking  
“Mam?”  
“Sorry, love. What?”  
“‘Ave ya seen to t’beasts?”  
“Oh aye. Johnny did it before ‘ee left”  
He nodded in satisfaction.  
“He’ll be back tomorrow he said. “  
“With the lad”  
“Aye. Mebbe”

She wheeled him into the lounge and put the telly on. Then Deirdre busied herself around the house. Going into the fridge she found some of that bloody sheep’s cheese the lad had made. Guiltily, feeling traitorous, she picked a tiny morsel off the plate and popped it on her mouth. It was delicious. She shook her head. That rat bastard. Even his cheese was tempting.  
She went upstairs to make the beds. When she went into Johnny’s room, she was shocked to find the bed made and clothes all put away or in the wash basket. The lad has certainly improved Johnny’s domestic skills. Deirdre huffed and shut the door. 

Deirdre took the Land Rover into town to get the shopping. She passed Violet and two other ladies walking into the cafe “Good morning, Deirdre” they chorused. “And how is your Johnny boy today. Not seen him at the pub for a while now.“ Violet knew how to sound concerned, smug and snide all at the same time.  
“Fine, thank you Violet. “ she retorted, shortly. And walked on. She walked past St Agatha’s and stopped. She hadn’t been to church for a while. Not so easy once Annie had up and left her with a distraught husband and a sobbing child. She went still on high days and holidays. But today she felt like she needed solace. She walked into the church and sat down in a pew. After a few moments the Vicar sat in the pew in front. 

“Deirdre. We don’t see you here often?”  
“No Rev. Mark “  
“No matter. How can we help you today?”  
Deirdre sat looking at her hands for a moment. Then she took a deep breath.  
“My grandson is gay. “  
“Johnny?“  
She might have guessed he'd know already. Johnny wasn't exactly discreet.  
“Aye.”  
“OK”  
Deirdre was shocked at the acceptance of the religious man. She’d expected something else. It gave her courage to continue.  
“And he has a Romanian boyfriend. Well had. They fought and he left. And now Johnny, well he’s gone to ask him to come back”  
“I see.”  
Deirdre swallowed but she’d come this far.  
“And they’ve been at it in the house when me and his dad were away. “  
“And this bothers you?”  
Deirdre was truly shocked now.  
“Doesn’t it bother you?”  
The young vicar smiled at this. 

“You know the bible has a lot to say on this. But that was a different time. The one thing we can all agree on is that Jesus preached that love is love and people who love will be welcomed into the house of God. “  
He smiled at Deirdre then “Johnny has been lost for a long time Deirdre. Perhaps this young man has found him?”  
“But what will people say?”  
Rev. Mark smiled to himself then.  
“Does it matter what they say? Surely all that matters is that your grandson is happy and has found someone to love. Who loves him? What can anyone say to that. “  
A tear fell from Deirdre's eye then.  
“I don’t know. I’m scared for them.”  
“I understand this may not be the most accepting place at first. But they will weather the storm and it will make them stronger. And I think that with you and others by their side, they’ll make it through. They won't be alone.“  
Deirdre looked up with a tear stained face. 

Rev. Mark continued “It's not an easy life they have as farmers. It’s good to have someone to share it with”  
Deirdre smiled, remembering the cheese and Johnny’s tidy room. She also thought about the fact that she hadn’t heard Johnny be sick or hungover in weeks. And she had heard him laughing. Johnny hadn’t laughed for such a long time. A smile was just visible on her face.  
“Thank you Rev. Mark.”  
“Any time Deirdre”  
She left the church feeling much happier. 

After she finished her shopping, she popped into the doctors to look for a leaflet. She found what she was looking for and put it in her hand bag. Then she walked back past the cafe again. Violet and her friends were coming out. “Oh Deirdre we were just talking about you”  
“Were you.“  
"Well we were wondering about Johnny. Do you still have that foreign lad with you?“  
Deirdre have her a big smile.  
“He had to go to Scotland for a job. But Johnny’s gone up there to see if we can’t tempt him back. He was so good with the lambs, you know and he makes the most delicious cheese.“  
Violet looked disappointed. This wasn’t good gossip. Deirdre continued.

“Anyway I got to go. I need to get the house ready before the boys come back tomorrow. Ta ra ladies “  
She didn’t stop smiling all the way home. 

When she got in, Martin was restless.  
“Bin ages. Need... toilet. “  
“Sorry love. I had to get a few things.”  
She helped Martin up to the bathroom and back downstairs. Then she unpacked her shopping and put the kettle on.  
“Mam. Bin thinkin’ ‘bout what you said”  
She looked up.  
“About the boys.”  
“Sorry love. I was just worried. It’s fine.”  
Martin looked cross. He was frustrated he couldn’t get the words out.  
“Bed too small” he managed. Deidre looked at him trying to fill in the pieces.  
“Johnny’s bed? For the two of them?”  
“Aye. Big lad. “  
She laughed at that. Aye Gheorghe was broader than their Johnny.  
“Shall we wait to see if Johnny manages to persuade him to come back first?”  
Martin nodded.  
"'Ee will."  
“Ok. I’ll make the tea. Then I’ll go see to t’beasts”  
They had an early supper and watched telly until it was time for bed. 

The next morning Deirdre awoke early, fed the cows, checked on the sheep and put the kettle on before returning to get Martin up. As they were breakfasting, Deirdre heard a car pull up. Martin looked up. “Lad’s back” he said.  
“Aye” said Deirdre. The door opened and Johnny walked in. Behind him the tall dark Romanian stood silently.  
“You’re back then” Deirdre barely looked at them.  
“Aye. Both of us” said Johnny.  
“Well you’d best both go upstairs and unpack. Come down and have a cup of tea and some breakfast before getting back out there.”  
“Aye.” Johnny beckoned to Gheorghe to follow him.  
As Gheorghe came through he nodded to both Martin and Deirdre "Good morning."  
A couple of minutes later Deirdre went to her handbag and followed the boys upstairs. She was about to walk in to Johnny’s room when she checked herself and knocked.  
“Aye”  
Deirdre entered the room. Johnny was sat on his bed and Gheorghe was putting their clothes away. It was a domestic scene.  
“Your dad and I were talking and we thought you could use a double bed here. I’ll go into town tomorrow and order one.  
Johnny looked up amazed but Gheorghe spoke first.  
“Thank you Mrs Saxby. That is very kind”  
“I think you should call me Deirdre, lad. Given the circumstances.”  
Gheorghe nodded “OK. Good. Thank you Deirdre”  
“I tried your cheese lad. It’s good.”  
“Thank you.”  
“I’ll get you some cheese cloth tomorrow so you can stop ruining my best tea towels.“  
Gheorghe smiled at her shyly. 

Deidre nodded. “And” she said steeling herself. “I found this at the doctors. The clinic will be here next week. You two should probably go. Get yourselves tested. Then maybe you can stop messing about with them rubber things“  
She put the HIV testing leaflet on the side table, turned on her heel and walked out, cheeks flaming.

**Author's Note:**

> The inspiration for this snippet came from two places. The scene in GOC where Deirdre finds the condom and then cries over the ironing. 
> 
> The second is my friend and very beautiful woman of god, The Rev Fi who proves that God loves us all, whoever we love, every day.


End file.
